Our Visit to the Hospital

Both of my grandparents were put in the hospital within a day of each other. Papaw had a stroke after a procedure that he had done and Mamaw has congestive heart failure and had an extra amount of fluid that had built up and she passed out at home. Cooper and I made the trip to MS to be with them and ended up staying about ten days. I am very blessed with supportive husband and job that worked it out so I could be there.

Cooper got to meet some of my family for the first time...


Cheered for TN on opening day of college football...


Flip around some...


Spend some good time with his great Mamaw...


And his great Papaw...


He was so good the whole time we were there. Except for some early wake up calls for Mommy and getting fussy when he was sleepy or hungry, he was perfect. His great-Papaw lit up when he realized we were there. He was such a joy during such an uncertain time for us.

The Broccoli Salad

I treasure phone conversations with my grandparents. My mamaw called me today just to see how I was doing. She also called to tell me about her week. Most of which involved going to the doctor, physical therapy, revival, and cooking.

On Wednesday night the church was having a dinner for the pastors and their families and Mamaw was bringing broccoli salad. She said "this is how slow I am. I had parts of it already made and started working on the rest at 3:00. We were supposed to have it there by 5:30 but someone told me they weren't serving until 6:00. I was still putting it together at 5:00 and then I had to put my self together." They walked in at 5:45 and everyone was almost finished eating but they stayed and ate anyway. And she only brought home "a serving" of the broccoli salad. People know when she brings something it's going to be good!

I can only imagine what went on between the hours of 3 and 5 on Wednesday!

We talked a few more minutes about my job and my little family (Zach, Jere and Kitty) and hung up. She called right back wanting to know if I had time to talk to Papaw. I said of course!

We talked about pretty much the same things except he wanted to know when we were "going to make it down this way". One of them always asks that! We talked a couple of minutes and he asked "well, did you have something really important to tell me...other than you love me?" He said he had to go turn on the fence to keep the deer out of his garden!

I love them so very much!

I forgot...

Two more things to share from my trip...

* When we walked into the stadium for Aleasha's football game (which they won!!), the song playing over the loudspeakers was "Rocky Top". I couldn't believe it!! Way down in MS at a high school football game they were playing this song. Pretty Crazy. But the real crazy thing was when I checked my voicemail and mom had left me a message reminding me that the game was not a college game and would be just a little different than Rocky Top!
* A conversation with my Papaw about how many years he and Mamaw had been married (56 in December):

Me: What's the best year yet?
Papaw: This One.
Me: Why this one?
Papaw: (after a brief pause) Because it could've not been.

Visit with Mamaw and Papaw

It was wonderful to see my family in MS for a few days. It was nice to just "be" (as me and mom say). We had no real plans, except Aleasha's game, and I had them all to myself. While this visit brought back memories from summers with them, it was not really like those summers. When I would come visit, Mamaw did all the work and I did anything fun! Things have changed a little and I couldn't just let her be in the kitchen doing all the work with me sitting around watching. No surprise to my husband, but I did very little actual cooking. I followed directions for getting ingredients and helped clean up. Mamaw may be moving a little slower than she used to but she can still cook an amazing meal. I watched her make her delicious dressing from scratch and was amazed... not one measuring cup was used. She just "eye balls" it. I don't really think she uses a measuring cup for measuring, just to hold something. It's called years of experience. A few treats from the weekend... omelets, homemade biscuits, homemade cornbread, dressing, chicken and dumplings, sour cream chicken, fresh vegetables, chocolate pie (the best ever), egg pie, homemade ice cream, homemade pancakes. I'm not spoiled at all!

A few observations/things learned during my trip...

* Taking medicine is at least a 30 minute activity
* The reason that Papaw has trouble sleeping at night is because he takes several naps in his chair throughout the day
* Shelling purple-hulled peas turns your fingers purple
* No matter how many times Mamaw and Papaw said "these peas are terrible, not worth shelling" we still shelled the entire 5 gallon bucket full and picked out the bad ones
* Eating can be an all day affair... prep work, clean up, distraction, cooking, more clean up, eating, more clean up and start again
* How my grandparents met each other: They met when she was 16 and he was 18. She lived down the road from Clovis, his cousin. Clovis was having a party and had invited both of them. They played spin the bottle (this cracks me up!). One of them spun the bottle and it landed on the other, they can't remember which one spun. The choices were a kiss or taking a walk. They chose taking a walk, at least that's what they told me. Mamaw's face was precious telling me this and Papaw just had that grin on his face.
* They have a calender in the kitchen where they write down all their doctor appointments, between the two of them it's at least 1 a week
* Papaw takes Mamaw to the beauty shop every week and while she's there he fills the car up with gas, gets a small cup of coffee from McDonald's, and then goes back and waits for her, but this week I got to take Mamaw to the beauty shop. Same one she's gone since I can remember. Different lady now, who is much slower than the other one.
* The Mexican resteraunt in town is actually pretty good!
* Mamaw and Papaw both grew up in Christian homes. I asked them both when they were saved. Both of them in church and both when they were 11. Mamaw was baptized in a pond and Papaw was baptized in a creek. What a legacy they leave their families!!
* I love football, even high school football. There's just something about it.
* Only once did I notice the cheerleaders cheering "SCORE" when the other team had the ball.
* I never really pictured Aleasha as a cheerleader, but she did a really good job. She even "called" some of the cheers. I've never heard her yell before then.

* At the football game, people were segregated in the stands.
* Mamaw and Papaw cannot go anywhere in town without seeing someone they know.
* I was disappointed when I was introduced to a lady at the beauty shop who didn't know Mamaw had another granddaughter.
* I am very thankful for my Aunt Lisa and her family for all that they do for Mamaw and Papaw. They take good care of them and are there for them when the rest of us can't be.

I took several pictures over the weekend, but my favorite was this one. Aunt Lisa told us to do something silly and Mamaw immediately stuck out her bottom teeth (like pepper). Aunt Lisa wasn't quick enough with the camera to catch it but we had a good laugh about it.

Going to Grandma's

When Ben and I were growing up, we moved around a lot. By the time we moved to Clarksville, it was our 10th move in 10 years. I had been to school in 4 different states (MS, GA, AK, TN) by the time I was in 4th grade. We didn't move every year, but the longest place we lived was for about 2 years. It sounds bad, but I really don't remember moving that much. Most of it was done when I was pretty young. Dad worked really hard working his way up through the company and together he and mom made a lot of sacrifices for Ben and I so that when we got older we could stay in one place. Mom made everything fun and adventurous no matter what the situation and she and dad made every place feel like home.

No matter where we lived, Ben and I always spent time with my grandparents in MS. Most of the time was during the summers. I would sometimes spend up to two weeks with Mamaw and Papaw during the summer up until I was in high school. I loved going to spend time with them. Mamaw kept children in her home when I was little and I loved getting to be her "helper". I probably slowed her down more than "helped" her, but she never made me feel that way. She knows how to make anyone feel special and loved, especially her grandchildren. It's a gift.

They live in rural MS in a city where up until a few years ago there was not even a McDonald's. The only chain resteraunt they had was "the Sonic", not just Sonic but "the Sonic". It's a very small town where everyone knows everyone. And to me... it seems everyone knows my grandparents and my dad. They are respected people and it would always (and still does) make me proud to be introduced as Steve's daughter.

I remember Mamaw telling me there would be a time when I would be too busy to come and visit her like I was used too. "No way" I would say. I couldn't imagine not going to see her in the summers. She was right. I grew up. But I treasure the memories.